I recently toured the U505 exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. I have been wanting to do that since I was a young boy. I must say that it was one of the finest museum experiences I have ever had. I had only a couple of hours to spend around the boat, but I WILL go back and spend a lot more time around her. I have collected all sorts of stuff on this boat over my lifetime and will be presenting a bunch of it in the SCR over the next several issues. I took over 700 pictures at the Museum to catalog the boat as much as possible for modeling her at a later time. She has been lovingly restored by her patrons and presents herself very well. The Museum did a fantastic job with this exhibit. There are so many things to do and see just at the U505 exhibit that you had better plan on spending a full day to to her justice.

Last edited by Thor on Sat Jun 18, 2011 12:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Matt,How are you doin buddy,did you make the move yet??The next time you go to see 505 try to go on the private tour that they have on Sunday mornings,it costs a couple of bucks but is well worth it.They give you breakfast and when I did it 3 yr.ago there was only 6 of us and it is a private tour where you can go anywhere on the boat that you want for as long as you want.The museum is closed during this time so there isn`t anybody to get in your way.When I was there they had an ex submariner there that worked on the boat during the last restoration and he was very helpful and answered any questions that I could ask.He gave me his card and told me to call anytime that I was in the windy city.It was the best time that I had in years.He told me that the boat is sea worthy and they rebuilt most of the major equipment and start up the diesels every once in a while just to make sure that everything is right.If you are interested I can PM all the stuff that I got from them if I can find it.

The 8-balls took the private tour a few years back on the way home from a Subregatta.The exibit is just amazing!! I remember the look on Paul's face when we rounded the corner and the bow of the 505 is right in front or you."HOLLY CRAP" were the words I remember. It is a must see for any Bubblehead. BD.

The Museum did an absolutely wonderful job when they created this exhibit space and moved the U-505 indoors (finally!). When the exhibit first opened Jim Butt and I did a one-day trip out there. I had arranged to meet the then docent, Keith Gill, for a personal tour not only of the U-boat, but of their archive of materials. It was a day well spent!

I would really like to see what you have on the U505! Are you going to be able to make it to the Regatta? If so, maybe we can sit down and go over all of it.

Someone needs to do a proper book on this boat, its history, drawings, photos, the whole nine yards. I browsed through the few books that were in stock at the Museum and was very disappointed in them. With the rich history behind this boat and the treasure of information available, you would think someone would do the subject justice!

I went on the special Sunday tour about two years ago and some parts of the boat were blocked and you could only look from a distance. In addition, we were not permitted to take any photos inside the U-boat while on the tour; that was very disappointing. You could not stop and to examine closely things because we had to keep moving for other folks.